The Heard Surrounds
from ponies under darkness by REBECCA FLOOD
Category: Music
All matters musical
Radiohead, Toronto 2018
Talisker Players
I did a really fun photoshoot today, with the Talisker Players.
My shot
It’s strange that a stage show running in one city is affecting the whole continent, but New York isn’t a normal place and Lin-Manuel Miranda clearly isn’t a normal man.
The killing in Orlando originally prompted my personal doctrine in response to political violence: refuse to be terrorized. One or a few people armed and keen to kill do not affect my thinking about politics.
I cried quite unexpectedly when I saw Miranda’s sonnet.
Reading more about the musical, and revelling in my BitTorrent audio, I am increasingly impressed by the virtuoso genius of the thing. Violence has sometimes been a decisive factor historically, but there is scope to hope that ideas and arguments can be our battleground as humanity learns to live all together on this small planet.
New Bruton album
Rebecca Bruton – whose previous album We Are The Kingdom, We Are The Desert I admire a great deal – has a new release on BandCamp: ponies under darkness.
Her music is a provocative challenging take on folk, not quite like anything else I’ve heard.
A new favourite maritime folk song
The sky is royal blue
Jenny Ritter’s “A History of Happiness” is one of my all-time-favourite folk songs.
Naviger’s Barn Raising
My friend Andrea Simms-Karp – whose excellent previous albums include Sleeper and Hibernation Nation – has a new album available to stream for free or download for whatever price you choose: Barn Raising.
All the tracks feature her impressive vocals, most are her songwriting, and I have been enjoying it thoroughly. I especially like “Dolly Cassette“.
Raised by Wolves
I just love Jenny Ritter’s album Raised by Wolves, which you can listen to for free via BandCamp.
“A History of Happiness” is my favourite track.
The Harperman imbroglio
This little song, written by Environment Canada scientist Tony Turner, has received a lot of media attention:
CBC: Harperman case: Can public servants be political activists?
The Guardian: Canada government suspends scientist for folk song about prime minister
Both the song and the public responses point to one of the big unsettled questions about the appropriate conduct of the public service. What are citizens who are employed to serve the public interest meant to do when the country is badly governed by their political bosses?